


jagged edges

by Mamichigo



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Curses, First Meetings, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28659384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mamichigo/pseuds/Mamichigo
Summary: While Aqua is relieved to have helped Ventus wake up again, she can't help but wonder what is it like for Vanitas, burdened to bear the curse for his separated half.
Relationships: Aqua & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts)
Kudos: 14





	jagged edges

**Author's Note:**

> I needed to test out the tone for this au and how characters interact, so this is also an opportunity to write a little background for this. I'm actually working on a longer fic for it set around a year after this one, but since I won't be able to finish it for awhile, have this in the meantime~
> 
> Slaps roof of Vanitas. This bad boy can fit so much suffering in him.

It was a little sad, how used she had become to these vacant stares. Right now, Ven quietly slept in one of the side rooms. As for his other half, he simply sat on the chair and stared at her with chillingly empty eyes. 

Aqua wasn't even sure what to call him. Though he was part of Ven, there was a presence to him that was different from Ven's, not to mention their faces were hardly the same. But, despite her hesitancy, she had no other way to refer to him. With a sigh, Aqua went to touch his forehead, perhaps out of curiosity, but her wrist was held in a forceful grip. Ventus's eyes hadn't moved from her face. Aqua winced in discomfort.

"What happened to you…?" Her eyes fleeted to the curtain that separated the two rooms. "To both of you."

She pried her hand away, and saw the sigil marked on Ventus's wrist glow. The same point on her own wrist thrummed in response. However, whatever the connection spell was picking up on was too faint for her to really tell what it was. Ventus opened his mouth as if to speak.

"I'm sorry for intruding," a hard, sharp voice announced right before a new person burst into her workshop.

Aqua blinked at the stranger. He had the kind of face that looked gentle and understanding, but right now it was closed off in a tense frown. Aqua didn't miss the sword at his waist. If he was a knight, he was not one of their own.

"Are you the Royal Magician?" The man asked.

Instinctively, Aqua checked for her wand's position. It rested on top of her workbench. Aqua nodded to the man. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I— I'm looking for someone. My friend." The man scanned the room, and his frown deepened. "I was informed he'd be here with you."

"I'm not sure I can tell you anything before I know who you are first," Aqua informed kindly.

The man startled like he just now realized the abruptness of his visit. He scratched the back of his neck and lowered his eyes apologetically.

"Yes, of course. My name's Terra, a few months ago I left my friend Ven in the hands of your King. I just now managed to return here."

Aqua felt another pulse from the sigil. She glanced at Ventus and found him not looking at her, but at Terra. 

"Your father, I heard you planned to flee from Xehanort with him. Is he…?"

"He's okay. We're… We're both fine." Terra approached and held her by the shoulders. Though there was desperation in the gesture, he was careful not to hurt Aqua. "Please tell me how Ven is doing."

Aqua bit her bottom lip, but didn't avert her eyes. At the very least, Terra deserved her sincerity.

"He is recovering. His curse was unique, and the magic used for it powerful." Terra's hands tightened, just a little. "I couldn't break it fully."

"What happened to him?" Terra whispered. He sounded afraid to hear the answer.

"I had to separate him from the curse. Of course, it's not as simple as nicely splitting it down the middle, so they aren't fully separated from each other." Aqua tried to reassure him with a smile. "Right now Ven is sleeping. What's important is that his mind will be able to recover from the shock."

Xehanort's curse had been entangled with a binding spell. The moment Ven forcefully broke the spell, the magic backslash forced him into sleep. Since the spell was tied to the curse, the only way to wake him up again was to separate him from the curse, since Aqua couldn't completely break it. She looked at Ventus's impassive stare. Aqua wasn't entirely sure this had been the best course of action, but she had to believe it was.

"So, that guy is—" Terra had his eyes narrowed at Ventus.

"The other half of Ven. The part of his mind that was distorted by the curse."

A jolt like a needle was felt at her wrist, just at the same time Terra put his hand on his sword hilt. Aqua checked on Ventus first; a venomous scowl darkened his face. Anger soured the roof of her mouth, no doubt coming from Ventus.

"Terra, what are you _doing_?" Aqua hissed. She stepped backwards to her workbench.

"If he's Ven from when he was cursed, then he is dangerous." The sword slid off its scabbard, just an inch. The metal glittered in the candle light. "Besides, if we deal with him, then we can free Ven."

"That's not how it works. Terra, listen to me!"

"It's better if he's gone."

All at once, Aqua was assaulted with waves of pain, all along her body, but most of all her chest and head. Along with it came a swirl of emotions too messy for her to make sense of. Spots appeared in her vision, and Aqua had to brace herself at the edge of the workbench, suddenly faint. She put a hand over her mouth as her stomach roiled.

Horrified, Aqua whipped her head towards Ventus, but he was no longer in his usual chair. Instead, he had just countered one of Terra's blow with a short, thin blade. Aqua didn't have the time to ponder why Ventus knew where she kept her dagger. 

Aqua clutched her wand and staggered through the pain. Terra once again moved to strike Ventus, but the latter dodged and kicked Terra's legs. Terra fell unsteadily on his knees. Seeing an opportunity, Ventus raised the dagger, but the reach of Terra's sword was greater. He aimed it at Ventus's throat, and—

"Stop!" Aqua shouted. Terra's body froze as a clock hovered above his head, ticking away.

Aqua turned her attention to Ventus. He only paused for a moment. Aqua moved at the same time Ventus realized Terra was incapable of striking back now. The dagger sliced her forearm right before she knocked it out of Ventus's hand.

"Aqua!"

Aqua shuddered a breath and glanced at Terra. "I need you to calm down for a bit, okay?"

She murmured a quick cure spell and looked at Ventus next. He was frozen with his hands still raised. His eyes were fixed on Aqua's cured arm.

"That's enough," Aqua told him, sharp but not unkind. Aqua swallowed as she realized she felt numb— but the sensation didn't come from herself. "Let's all cool our heads now. It's alright, Ventus."

"That's not my name."

Aqua startled at the voice. She couldn't tell if the roughness of it was just how it usually sounded, or if it was due to the long time of disuse.

"What?"

"My name's Vanitas."

"Vanitas. Alright." Aqua closed her left eye when her head throbbed. "I'm going to put you back to sleep now."

It was little warning, but Vanitas seemed to understand quickly enough. He didn't resist when Aqua pointed her wand at him.

"Sleep."

Vanitas wobbled and Aqua supported his body. Everything she had been feeling became muted. Aqua reached for Vanitas's wrist and wiped the sigil from his skin. She sagged with relief when the secondary feelings disappeared from her body. She'd had to be more careful about using that sigil to inspect Vanitas from now on.

Once she placed Vanitas back on the chair he had been sitting on, Aqua finally returned to Terra, already released from the Stop spell. Terra sat on the floor with a dark expression.

"That was incredibly reckless," Aqua reprimanded.

Terra's shoulder tensed, but relaxed again when he let out a sigh. He looked up at her with trepidation. He looked tired.

"There's no way of knowing what would happen to Ven if Vanitas disappeared without properly breaking the curse." Aqua laid a hand on Terra's shoulder as she crouched next to him. "Both of them would die. I need you to understand that."

Terra nodded, but added nothing else.

"This isn't Vanitas's fault either, Terra." Aqua remembered the pain and the nausea and the overwhelming onslaught of emotions that felt like her mind was slowly spiraling out of control. "He's— He is suffering too."

"I know!" Terra hissed. Then, less forcefully, "I know. This isn't either of their faults, none of it. Xehanort, he's the one who— I just thought I could do something."

"But this isn't the way to fix it."

Terra smiled to himself. It didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, you're right."

"Help me get these two back to their quarters?" Aqua offered.

Terra looked surprised, but he was quick to get to his feet and offer her a hand. While Terra left to get Ven, Aqua went for Vanitas. She watched him sleep for a moment.

She rubbed the inside of her wrist, where an angry, burn-like spot was left. Aqua supported Vanitas on her shoulder and sighed a little.

"What am I going to do with you?"

Vanitas stirred, but of course had no answers to offer her.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ma_michigo) and [Tumblr](https://mamichigo.tumblr.com/)!


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